Boyz N the Hood Essay

“Boyz N the Hood” is one of the many films from the 1990’s that displayed gang violence among African-Americans in urban areas such as “Juice,” “South Central,” and “Menace II Society - Boyz N the Hood Essay introduction. ” However, “Boyz N the Hood” is known for more than just depicting violence. The Library of Congress had place it on preservation in its’ National Film Registry and even referred to it as “culturally significant” in 2002. Never realizing it after watching it the first few times, this film gives a perspective on what the typical African-American family is like during this period. 2 of the families the movie focused on the most were Tre’s and Doughboy’s.

They shared a lot of differences and a few similarities but the most common factor is that their parents weren’t together. Tre and Doughboy’s both come from families where their parents aren’t married but one main the difference these two share is that Tre has a father present. With Tre having a father present, he avoids gang violence, shows more respect towards Brandi and seems to have a more substantial upbringing and promising future than the rest of the boys in his neighborhood. Tre doesn’t only get essential life values from his father; his mother places a very important role for most of his life too.

Tre’s mother is compassionate towards him but is stern, stands her ground and lets her authority be known in their household. However, Doughboy’s mother isn’t the same way at all. Doughboy’s mother constantly puts him down and insults him. She holds resentment against Doughboy’s father and takes it out on him as well. Doughboy’s mother shows rarely any sympathy or love and affection towards Doughboy. On the other hand, Ricky, Doughboy’s brother, receives all the honor and praise because of his future athletic career. Their mother favors Ricky the most because she can benefit from his success and treats him way more differently than Doughboy.

Doughboy doesn’t let his mother get to him and makes his own decisions in the house. Doughboy’s behavior is probably a result of no male authority in his house. He doesn’t go to school, comes and goes when he pleases, sells drugs and has even spent time in prison. Having no father around seems to be the only explanation for his behavior but it an unsupportive mother could possibly play a part in all this gang related activity as well. Early in the movie, Tre’s mother receives a phone call from his teacher and his teacher is shocked when she hears his mother say he well be staying with his father.

She cleverly responds, “Yes, his father. Or did you think we just made babies by ourselves? ” This conversation shows how the idea of fatherless homes is more acceptable. It also shows how the structure of the African-American family has changed. “Boyz N the Hood” is culturally significant is displaying how important family can be in lives and how can change the way society is. Maybe in some way the film’s overall message is an active father being the solution to disruptive black male behavior in today’s world.